'Emotional rollercoaster' as school closures upheld

A head teacher whose school closure has been confirmed has said the last few months have been an "emotional rollercoaster".

Hertfordshire County Council's cabinet has decided not to reverse decisions to close Albury Primary School, near Bishop's Stortford, and St Nicholas Primary in Elstree.

A scrutiny committee had ordered reviews of both decisions because it felt the process was flawed.

Kate Johnston-Grant, the head teacher at St Nicholas, said pupils would be supported "until the very end of our journey".

The two schools had been considered for closure because of their low pupil numbers.

St Nicholas Primary in Elstree has 46 children, while Albury Primary has just 11 in the main school and two in the nursery.

Thursday's meeting of the council's cabinet heard that, as educational settings were mainly funded on a per-pupil basis, both schools had significant financial problems.

St Nicholas had a deficit of £372,000, which was expected to rise to £700,000 within three years, while Albury's deficit was about 42% of its annual budget.

The decisions to close both schools had been reviewed by a scrutiny committee, which called for more clarity about how consultation responses were considered and how the impact of the closure plan on pupil numbers would be mitigated.

Conservative councillor Mark Pope told the meeting the issues raised by the scrutiny committee had not been addressed, and the cabinet would be "letting down the parents" of children if it did not reverse its decision.

But the cabinet said there was no viable alternative to shutting the schools.

Mark Watkin, the council's executive member for education, said all feedback had been "fully reviewed" and pupil numbers were "consistently low for several years".

Johnston-Grant said: "I am deeply grateful to the families who have stood by us for so long, and to our dedicated staff, who throughout this difficult and emotional rollercoaster have remained committed, loyal, and true to the school.

"While difficult changes lie ahead, we will continue to move forward together with strength, dignity, and care, supporting the children who remain with us until the very end of our journey as a school community."

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